The sum of all connected things is estimated to reach 25 billion by 2020, a forecast said, reflecting the phenomenal growth of the Internet of Things (IoT).

The number of connected devices that will be in use in 2015 will reach 4.9 billion representing a huge 30 per cent increase from last year, according to Gartner, a leading IT research and advisory company.

Of that, 2.9 billion are those that will be in use by the consumer sector, while the automotive sector will record the highest growth rate of 96 per cent. As far as industrial sector is concerned, manufacturing, utilities and transportation are the top three verticals that will have 736 million connected things in use in 2015.

IoT is one of the many topics that will be dissected and debated at the 3rd Gulf Information Security Expo & Conference (Gisec) scheduled to take place from April 26 to 28 2015 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

With the consumer, automotive and industrial sectors having been identified as those that will drive the immense growth of IoT, Cisco, an acknowledged worldwide leader in IT, has warned that while IoT presents conveniences to individuals and organisations, greater challenges await companies and those responsible for defending the network from cybercrimes.

IoT is defined as the network of dedicated physical objects (things) that contain embedded technology to sense or interact with their internal state or external environment. It comprises an ecosystem that includes things, communication, applications and data analysis.

“As organisations continue to seek ways to capitalise on the vast opportunities that IoT brings, the number and type of attack vectors will only continue to expand,” said Philippe Roggeband, Business development manager of Cisco Security Architecture and one of the keynote speakers at Gisec.

“Currently, cybercriminals use various methods to attack organisations and gain access to their networks. These include using malware, DDoS and botnets to name a few,” he added.

“Meanwhile, attacks on individuals ranges from identity theft, cyberstalking and hacking to steal valuable data, money or photographs. The methods used could be malicious software from emails, website links and social media, phishing and password theft. On the other hand, attacks on government usually come from terror groups, other unfriendly nations or hacktivists where they hack government systems, military facilities or government websites to circulate propaganda.”

Gisec will address key issues surrounding cybersecurity management, identity management and disaster recovery. The event will likewise address susceptible industry sectors such as financial services, governments, oil & gas, IT and pharmaceuticals as well as for individuals.

 Gisec’s exhibition segment will also showcase over 150 exhibitors, attracting over 5,000 trade visitors and security professionals from 50 countries including Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and Chief Information Officers (CIOs). – TradeArabia News Service